It’s no secret that Triumph is gunning for the mid-capacity GS with its new Triumph Tiger 800, but with this morning’s leak of 37 high-res photos, we can see just how similar the two bikes are. The commonalities between the Triumph and the BMW F800GS are stunning, let’s list all of them.
800cc water-cooled engine? Check.
Steel tube frame? Check
Black-painted motor? Check.
Un-braced, contoured black alloy swingarm with silver adjusters? Check.
High-mount, single-side exhaust can? Check.
21-inch front wheel, 17-inch rear? Check.
Chain final drive? Check.
Steel tube pillion peg hangers permanently welded to tubular steel subframe? Check.
Huge steel tube grab handles that run parallel to the rear seat? Check.
Rear luggage platform? Check.
A serious lack of engine sump/exhaust protection? Check.
Radiator wider than the frame with only some plastic cladding for protection? Check.
Long black air-intakes mounted on top of the “tank”? Check.
Dual headlights housed in black plastic surrounds? Check?
Dinky, contoured screen mounted to the lights? Check?
Abbreviated front mudguard? Check.
Front fender extended rearwards to protect the radiator? Check.
Gold USD forks? Check.
Four-piston calipers and dual front discs? Check.
Indeed the only significant mechanical difference between the two bikes — other than the Triumph’s three-cylinder engine to the BMW’s parallel twin — appears to be in the fuel tank, which on the BMW is mounted under the seat. It does look like the Tiger adds a shock linkage to the BMW’s direct-mount item and one bike is more surprised and less squinty than the other. Then there’s the seat, Triumph pull the two-parter off a 1200GS, not the 800. Hooray for original thinking.
Can you spot any other similarities? List them in comments.